UKC

So it's one month till the access restrictions lift for coronation street (i think)

This is a real dream tick of mine, has anyone got any good routes to recommend to do in preparation for it. Most of my trad recently has been easy granite, so I'm guessing long limestone is the way forward. I'm based in southdevon, so am i right in thinking the crag with climbs that most similarities would be chudleigh?

Maybe tick off a few of the HVS/E1's there?

In reply to Kemics:

Shit - I thought this was a thread about next Monday - It's on't telly every night - can't wait.

In reply to Kemics:

I did CC last October and it was a big tick for me; trained for a month or two before hand.

It's a very long (took us 6hrs), continually exposed, steep E1 which is high in the grade. I don't think there are many climbs like it in the area - King Kong has a similar feel; perhaps some N Wales multi-pitch E1s?

Plenty of past forum talk about it if you search.

I'm not sure climbing lots of HVSs will help much; perhaps train on longer steeper harder E1s?

In reply to Kemics: Chudleighs a good call. The Spider, Machete Wall, Combined Ops and Oesophagus would all be good training. Anything quite physical and sustained will do, though.

In reply to Kemics: Got a feeling this is going to be a pretty busy route when the restrictions are lifted! I recong a booking line is needed as I know several teams who are dashing for it in October. Recommend Thor on the same side of cheddar gorge which is an HVS 5b and is bloody awesome!

In reply to Kemics:

Some of the E1s on suspension bridge buttress in the gorge might fit the bill; Baby Duck, Earl of Perth etc.

In reply to Southern Man: Bit of a trek from south devon!

In reply to remus:

To Bristol? Are you walking?!

Bristol's actually pretty good for me. I went to uni there and have a bunch of friends to catch up with so often pop up. Just have to take my gear when i do.

In reply to Kemics: Chudleigh's a good call, if you can trek as far as GO wall up at Wintours then King Kong would be a good choice to get a feel for the exposure. I think Chudleigh at HVS/E1 is more face climbing whereas CS is more corners and grooves so it's a bit of a difference in style.

In reply to Bulls Crack: haha, i tend to forward roll when Ive got real distance to cover.

Just seems a little strange to go so far as bristol when you've got the whole of south devon on your doorstep. You'd even be driving past cheddar on the way! Having said that the avon gorge isn't exactly a bad place to go, theres certainly no shortage of steep limestone, which is what you're looking for.

In reply to Kemics:

If you're thinking about long South Devon lime as preparation then some of the sea cliffs could be worth a look - not got the length quite right but then what has really? Somewhere like the Old Redoubt, ticking Moonraker and maybe having a go at Goddess of Gloom which I've heard good things about?

In reply to AJM:

Its a choss fest.

In reply to jonny2vests:

That's interesting. A friend of mine did it and said that whilst it was dirty he thought the climbing at least as good as Moonraker...

In reply to Kemics:

Best to climb some bulging/overhanging limestone grooves. My top tip is Simba E1 5b on Lion Rock in Cheddar. Open all year round. Not much exposure but the right kind of climbing and loads of gear. Run laps on that.
http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=36996

Dinner Date E1 5b up high on Heart Leaf Bluff in Cheddar is also the right kind of climbing and open all year round but it is very soft.

In reply to AJM:

I did them both back to back, but it was a few years ago, maybe GOG has improved.

In reply to Kemics: It's steep and sustained in the toop 4 pitches. So my tick list before you get on it is:

King Kong and Angel Eye in a day
Hells Gates, and Baby duck IAD
Climbers Club Direct, Levithan and that HS inbetween the two IAD (for something close to home
Consolation (at cheddar which you could get on now...)
Malbogies and Pinkwall traverse (via Reville) IAD

Basically steep sustained limestone, mainly crack climbing and corners in one long day. Also with a largish rack and some water etc, to simulate. If you're well prepared it will make the route fun, which it is. Although nothing is quite as pant filling in the area as hanging at the belay after the shield traverse... somewhat exposed one might say...

In reply to Kemics:

I've done it twice - Chudleigh is a lot more polished than CS - stay local - If you are in S Devon I would get on Sanctuary Wall, Sacrosanct and Incubus, good steep Limestone training. The start of King Kong is far harder than anything on CS.
I wouldn't be too concerned about the length of the route, High Rock is only 295 feet high, the first 150 feet is only low end VS, I'd run the first two pitches together. The Shield pitch is probably the psychological crux, the next pitch the technical crux, a steep 5b groove, then an easy top pitch. Don't build it up into a head problem, you don't need water, food, bog roll. If you are climbing well on alternate leads you will be up it in 3 hours...

In reply to Kemics:

Also, I doubt you will have a problem getting on it, I can't see a stampede of climbers once the restrictions are lifted, climbing isn't like that anymore. These days most climbers seem to be indoors, bolt clipping outdoors or bouncing around off bouldering mats....I just don't see the same volume of climbers doing trad these days...

In reply to HappyTrundler: except on Corrie which often has people on it from early in the morning till late in the evening...

In reply to mike kann: Especially early in the season when the weather is generally more pleasant.

In reply to HappyTrundler:

Yeah i'm definitely keen to get on it early in the season so I don't get frozen. Though thanks for the headgame check, already was starting to psyche myself out.

Only other concern is: my regular climbing buddy is one of my best friends and great fun to climb with but has a habit of losing his head on climbs. When he's in the zone, he's a really strong climber, but when he loses it, he can't get it back together and it's definitely lead us into a few mini-epics/freeze ups. So a little nervous, might be better i think to take it on with someone a little more experienced?

In reply to Kemics: ill volunteer myself for such an epic climb if your short of someone to do it with message me if you need someone to do it with

In reply to Kemics:
So a little nervous, might be better i think to take it on with someone a little more experienced?

Not a bad idea, the shield pitch, whilst short is a bit of an eye opener. If someone's gonna have a wobbler on a route I can't think of a more likely spot!

In reply to Kemics:

The mistake I made first time I did it was taking a partner who couldn't really lead any of the pitches, his function was to hold the rope and get the gear out. Some of the stances aren't great, with multiple belay points, and changing semi hanging belays, the freezing cold and finally drizzle turned it into an 8 hour epic. Second time, leading through, was a 2hr 55 min cruise and very pleasant. You need a good second, Steve Redmond won't let you down...

In reply to mike kann:

Is consolation really year round access? I thought they had clarified their access regime on that side of the road to "restored routes get access outside holidays, others don't"... The other reservoir area routes in the restored routes guide are all on the usual south side summer access regime there, which means no access until Monday, but consolation isn't even in there is it...

In reply to AJM: As far as I'm aware the reservoir walls there abouts was always year round access... it may have changed? It was always the exception in Cheddar and we were pointed there the first time we went by someone from Cheddar Rock Sport because we were out of season... as I say maybe it's changed.

In reply to mike kann: Just checked the old guide - you're right - 31st of august is the first time you can climb there, so there is a regime but we're already in it...

In reply to mike kann:

That's handy to know. I'll have to have a look at the guides and the RAD and stuff later to try and work out which routes in those areas are under which access regimes, cos there's some reservoir Walls stuff like Eden crack and the harder they fall and things in the new topo now.

In reply to AJM: "Access: Climbing here is permitted throughout the year, except from 15th June to 31st August inclusive, and on Eastere and the two May bank holiday weekends. It would be prudent, however, to avoid any rock directly above th road during any other busy times. For the Night Heat Wall: the owners have indicated that there may be conflict between climbing and the use of the bus turning circle beneath. Access may become restricted to when the open-topped bus is not running. PLEASE KEEP YOURSELF INFORMED."

So it's possible that the guide only refers to that right hand end as it's a slightly different proposition?